Post-pandemic, perceptions, needs and demands of childcare have changed for many families. Lockdown led some to a greater appreciation of the benefits of early education and childcare, but others are still keeping their children at home for all or some of the time, due to changed working patterns, reduced income, or continuing concerns about safety.
Ofsted, for example, recently reported a decreased take-up of funded places for two-year-olds, while University of Leeds research found that 15 per cent of parents interviewed in autumn 2021 had decided not to return to work after parental leave. ‘Parents might have got used to having their child with them and decided they can live on a smaller income,’ says Blue Simmons, owner of Abbotswood Nursery and Pre-School in Kent. For some disadvantaged or vulnerable families, the idea of mixing with other families has felt too much of a challenge.
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